Using Alipay to make an online payment in China

If you have an Alipay account, you’ll find it a useful tool for making all kinds of payments – much like its Western equivalent, PayPal. Here’s how to complete a transaction using the system – this will be especially useful if you plan to use the massive online marketplace Taobao.

Step-by-step guide

1. Select the item you want to buy.

2. Enter the Alipay checkout page, and select the “pay by Alipay” option.

3. You’ll now be prompted to enter your Alipay password to confirm the transaction (see screenshot below). First, make sure you have credit in your Alipay account.

4. If you need to add credit to your account, choose one of the recharge options as indicated below.

5. Once you are sure you have sufficient credit, type in your Alipay payment password and click the orange button to confirm your payment.